April 11, 1859.] PIM ON THE ISTHMUS OF SUEZ. 177 



The President. — The Society must appreciate highly any communication 

 upon physical geography from so eminent an authority as Sir John Herschel. 

 On this occasion he shows that this projection presents a more accurate repre- 

 sentation of the world in one sphere than any other stereographic projection. 

 It is not only more accurate than that of Mercator, but is, he suggests, more 

 correct than the ingenious projection prepared by our associate Col. James, 

 with which you may now compare it. 



(The diagrams prepared by Sir John Herschel and those of Col. James were 

 then exhibited to the Meeting.) 



The Third Paper read was : — 



3. Hemarks on the Isthmus of Suez, with Special Reference to the proposed 

 Canal. By Commander Bedford Pim, r.n., f.r.g.s. 



DtTRiNG a visit to Egypt in December last, my attention was forcibly 

 drawn to a subject that has for the past few years engaged a con- 

 siderable amount of public interest — the cutting a canal across the 

 Isthmus of Suez. 



While in Cairo I had the advantage of making the acquaintance 

 of gentlemen well qualified, both from local and professional know- 

 ledge, to form a dispassionate opinion on this much-vexed question, 

 and I now propose to review the subject in its various bearings, so 

 as to enable the Society to form an independent judgment of its 

 merits. 



I shall begin with describing the geographical position and phy- 

 sical features of the country, then detail the attempts of the Ancients 

 at canalization, and conclude with a narration of the various plans 

 and projects which have been proposed in modem times. • 



Egypt, of which the Isthmus of Suez is a component part, lies 

 between the 29th and 33rd degrees of E. long., and in both these 

 meridians is bounded by sandy deserts. On the north is the 

 Mediterranean, in the 31st parallel of north latitude, while to 

 the south of parallel 23° is the boundary line. On the south-east 

 the waters of the Ked Sea wash the coast and form the roadstead 

 of Suez, whence to Pelusium, namely the *' Isthmus," the dis- 

 tance is only 65 geographical or 74 statute miles; Suez being 

 situated in 29° 58' 37" N. lat., Tineh, the ancient Pelusium, in 

 31° 3' 37" N. lat. 



The northern or Mediterranean coast presents a barren appear- 

 ance, and consists of low sandy hillocks and swamps. Except- 

 ing Alexandria, no sort of harbour for vessels of any size exists. 

 The water in the vicinity of the land is shallow, the bottom shelv- 

 ing very gradually towards the beach, especially so in the Bay of 

 Tineh or Pelusium, where the depth of 25 feet averages a distance 



